


This Funny Thing Called Love

by SapphireBlueJiyuu



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-03
Updated: 2014-02-22
Packaged: 2018-01-07 06:37:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1116664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SapphireBlueJiyuu/pseuds/SapphireBlueJiyuu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“And in the end, we were all just humans... drunk on the idea that love, only love, could heal our brokenness.”<br/>— F. Scott Fitzgerald </p><p>[a Robb Stark & Myrcella Baratheon Drabble Collection]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. [Prologue] Morning Kiss

_The morning had burst forth from the folds in the fog. Wisps of the night in the form of ghost-like apparitions sat on the frozen ground like heaps of smoke against the backdrop of a gray sky. Dew drops clung to the thin blades grass on the moor, leaving Myrcella’s skin damp and cold. She turned her head to the side and saw Robb still fast sleep. They had snuck out in the early hours of the morning, when the stars were hidden behind thick clouds with the hopes of watching the sunrise, to warm the land on the dawn of the new year._

_Yet it was the heavy fog that had persisted as the minutes ticked by and slowly they found themselves falling back onto the cool grass, enjoying the silence of nature as the world moved beneath their bodies, turning endlessly. And as quietly as the fog, Myrcella leaned forward and fitted her lips over his. His reaction at first was muted and then she felt a slow grin stretch across his lips._

_“What I would give to wake up each morning just like that…” he mumbled as the fog settled over them and the morning crept by._


	2. Merry New Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They had been tiptoeing around each other for months now; harmlessly flirting yet in the backs of their minds, left wondering if maybe there was something actually there. Robb stared across the crowded office at his assistant who was entertaining an intern from finance and Robb couldn’t help but feel territorial.

He knew that he had no “claim” over Myrcella’s attentions but possessive instincts helplessly kicked in the moment he caught sight of every single red-blooded male in the company zone in on her when she walked into the offices’ New Year party.

And he couldn’t blame them, really. She looked stunning tonight. A pretty wineberry number that made her look even younger, which ruthlessly reminded Robb of the age gap between them. True, being 28 was hardly creepy boss status but with Myrcella barely turning 22 in a little under a week, Robb could possibly receive some “knowing glances”, which would irk his honor to no end.

So, they stuck to flirting.

Robb flicked his eyes up to see her shyly smiling at the intern – Arthur something-or-other – before she looked over his shoulder and caught Robb’s gaze.

To anyone else, Myrcella was simply offering her boss a cordial smile but to Robb, that smile seemed to mean  _'please come save me from this tediously boring conversation_ ' so Robb proceeded to do just that.

Weaving through the throng of people in festive hats that read “Happy New Year” and headbands with glittering flutes of champagne, Robb finally caught the tail end of the conversation about a TV show that Sansa watched.

“Doesn’t that guy die at the end of the season?” Robb interjected.

“Hey, spoilers!” Arthur the Intern protested before he turned back to Myrcella, “Sorry, some people are just unsympathetic.”

Myrcella bit back a chuckle. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t watch a lot of TV.”

Robb took that as a chance to swoop in. “Speaking of which, Myrcella would you mind coming to my office for a moment. I have some last minute questions about the case files we just took on.”

Myrcella, being as hard working as ever, did not even question him and followed dutifully after waving to Arthur the Intern. Robb felt sort of bad for pulling Myrcella away from the party, but with the way some of the other guys were hovering around her as if they were just  _waiting_  for their chance to swoop in, made Robb’s skin crawl. * ~~which for, some reason, was perfectly okay for him to do~~ * He kept telling himself that he was only doing it to protect Myrcella from the vultures but, the problem was, he couldn’t lie to himself. He knew he was selfishly marginalizing the competition vying for her company but at this point, he really didn’t care. 

Finally inside his office, Robb closed the door before walking over to his desk, where Myrcella had already pulled out the latest files that she had sorted through earlier that week.

Myrcella waited patiently to hand the files to him but instead watched in surprise as Robb pulled out a present from his briefcase.

“Your birthday is next week, right?” Robb asked, second guessing himself for a brief moment.

Myrcella looked from the box to Robb. “Yes, but you didn’t have to get me anything, Mr. Stark.”

“I told you, when it’s just you and I, call me Robb.” He insisted.

“Robb, please, I can’t accept this.” Myrcella said gingerly, “Last month, it was Margeary’s birthday and you did not give her a gift. That hardly seems fair,  _boss_.”

Robb was silent for a moment before slowly saying, “Alright… if you cannot accept it as a gift from a  _boss_ … then please accept it as a gift from a friend.”

Myrcella arched an eyebrow, “Are we friends, Robb?”

“Aren’t we?”

“If I can be completely honest, I’m not really sure what we are.”

“You’ve worked with me for over a year now, I would like to consider us at least friends-”

“At least?”

“If not more…”

“More as in how?”

Robb felt himself inch closer to her against reason. “More as in… I can’t seem to stop thinking about you.”

Her breath gently hitched as she watched his gaze drop to her lips. “You mean like every time you close your eyes-”

“I see no one but you. Yes.”

Myrcella nodded slowly. “Yeah… me too.”

It was Robb’s turn to be surprised. “Really?”

Myrcella nodded again, not trusting her voice. Robb reached for the small rectangular box and placed it on the table, his gaze never faltering from her’s. “Robb, we can’t do this. It would not be ethically sound.”

“Do what? I’m not doing anything but looking at you.” Their bodies were a mere hairsbreadth apart. “Now if I were to… say… lean forward and perhaps nuzzle your neck so that I could be engulfed in that intoxicating perfume you’re wearing… then that would be unethical.”

Myrcella’s voice came out strained. “Yes, that would be.”

“If I were to… say… bring my hands up and caress the sides of your arms with the tips of my fingers, until your entire skin is covered in goosebumps… then that would be unethical.”

Myrcella could not help but shiver at the thought of his large, warm hands (which she had spent ample amounts of time daydreaming about)  _anywhere_  on her exposed skin.

Robb dipped his head down and stopped just centimeters from her lips. “If I were to lean forward and kiss you, as I have dreamed of doing for months now, kiss you until we are both dizzy with euphoria… then that would be… perhaps… unethical.”

They stood there frozen, as if physically unable to cross that very strict line of professionalism, yet wanting so blatantly to seize the opportunity and fulfill their utmost desires.

Robb swallowed thickly as he watched her wet lips.“Myrcella?”

“Yes?”

“Could I please kiss you?”

“Yes…”

Their faces were close enough she could feel his warm breath on her lips, his hand slid up to rest on her cheek. After a moment of hesitation, she realized he was waiting for her to make the first move. Before she could change her mind, she quickly pressed her lips to his. Her insides melted as she deepened the kiss, opening her mouth slightly. Robb eagerly accepted her kisses as if they could heal him from a mortal wound. His tongue flicked hesitantly at her lips, and realizing she was willing, slipped into her mouth, gently caressing her tongue with his. The way his tongue moved caused shivers to run down her back.

She couldn’t get enough and she wanted more. Never in her wildest daydreams (and sometimes her nightly dreams of Robb) had she ever hoped that his kisses would taste this intoxicating. She sucked gently on his upper lip as his fingers lightly traced curve of her jawline and down her throat, over the ridge of collarbone and followed the trail down her exposed arms, not actually touching her skin, merely teasing her, and, as promised, leaving a trail of goosebumps along the way. Shivers of pleasure swept through her with every movement of his hands. Her back arched, trying to push more of her body towards his, giving consent for him to continue exploring her curves.

Robb bent down just slightly and slipped an arm under her bottom and lifted her so she was sitting on the edge of his desk in order to could compensate for her lack of height. One of her arms was wrapped around his shoulders while the other hand held onto the nape of his neck. Her fingers played with the soft curls of his auburn hair and relished in the feel of warmth that pooled at the bottom of her belly. His mouth now found the place where her neck and shoulder met and nipped at the fragile skin, making her gasp softly with the new sensation. Her hands flew to his face, pushing his head back so she could see his face.

“Robb-”

“I’m sorry but I’m not going to apologize for actually enjoying that and you can’t guilt trip me into feeling otherwise.”

Myrcella gave him an amused look before continuing, “I was just going to say, we should probably get back to the party. Someone might think it smart to come looking for us and then we would have to throw them out your window. Can you imagine the paperwork that would leave me?”

Robb schooled his face into a face of seriousness but his eyes were filled with mirth, “I wouldn’t go so far as to kill the poor sod. I might blackmail them though.”

“Right, as if you would know who would come looking for us. You would have to have dirt on  _everyone_  at this party tonight.”

Robb simply smirked against her exposed shoulder before he began kissing up her neck again.

Myrcella froze for a moment in disbelief. “Wait… are you serious? You actually have blackmail material on  _every_  single person out there?”

Robb chuckled as he shot her wolfish grin. “Maybe…”

She stared at him for a moment. “Do you have anything on me?”

“You mean besides my hands?”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes.”

Robb bit his lower lip in mock contemplation before he slowly asked, “Does a night at a club in Quarth called the Sapphire Isles mean anything to you?”

Myrcella’s eyes widened in shock before she cleared her throat, “No…” feigning obliviousness but it was too little, too late.

“Uh huh,  _right_.” Robb smirked.

“How did you find out about that anyway?” Myrcella hissed at him, blushing fiercely at how much he might actually know about that night.

“Let’s just say, I have my eyes and ears all over this company.”

Myrcella huffed in irritation at his smug demeanor before she sighed when his lips again sought hers, with a passion that quickly seared through her, leaving her with a satisfied feeling she’d been craving for an innumerable amount of years. She relaxed into his embrace, feeling invincible in his arms, as if all was right in the world, as if nothing could hurt her when holds her this way. Robb pulled the clip that held her hair up before he laced his fingers through her curtain of gold and began messaging her scalp, relieving the tension there. Resting with her head on his chest, she sighed into his dress shirt and breathed in his scent.

From behind the door, they could hear the swell of muffled voices fill with anticipation as the countdown began.

_“20… 19… 18…”_

Myrcella pulled back and looked straight into his eyes, “How long can you hold your breath?”

_“17… 16… 15…”_

Robb raised an eyebrow in confusion, “Meh. Why?”

_“14… 13… 12…”_

“I know exactly how to ring in the new year.” She replied, her eyes twinkled gleefully.

_“11… 10 … 9…”_

Not one to turn down a challenge, Robb nodded for to continue. Myrcella smiled before she tugged his tie so that she could fit her lips over his. She took his surprised gaze as she kissed him deeply, relishing in the groan that rumbled from deep in his chest as she boldly slipped her tongue between his teeth. She held him there as the world around them melted away.

_“8… 7… 6…”_

The rest of the countdown was lost to Robb as every cell in his body could only focus on how much he enjoys kissing Myrcella and looking for a way to get oxygen. It wasn’t until she pulled back lightheaded still nipping at his bottom lip, that his lungs protested for air to a painful degree.

“Merry New Year, Robb.” Myrcella said breathlessly against his lips.

Robb smiled and replied, “Yes, it’s looking to be a merry new year, indeed.”


	3. The Stars Are Shining For You [Hogwarts AU]

 “For Merlin’s sake! I am going to throw this fucking bludger at Professor Vornado again if he keeps me off that damn Quitdditch pitch one more time!”

It had been pouring for the last three weeks and the halls were nearly a swamp by the end of the last day of week 3. Peeves was not making it easy to get through the halls, flooding the boy’s bathroom so that the corridors were like wading through the black lake, so it wasn’t a stretch that quidditch pitch was even worse for ware. Yet Jon could sympathize with his brother’s feelings. Any good quidditch captain never let a little rain get in the way of practice. But then he saw a very angry looking Myrcella Baratheon gracefully stomp her feet towards their group. Her nose was wrinkled in that cute way like Robb had once described to him when she was mad and Jon had to admit, it did make her look super cute but now was not the time to admire his brother’s crush but to warn him of his impending doom. Jon turned to tapped his captain on the shoulder. “Robb.”

“We haven’t practiced in 2 weeks and the Slytherin game is in 4 days! How the hell are we going to win, if we don’t practice?!”

He tapped harder, but Robb was so focused on his rant, he didn’t see a certain Hufflepuff girl walking straight towards them. “Robb.” Jon hissed.

“I have your answer, we’re  _never_  gonna win like this if we keep-”

“Robb!”

“What?!”

“Hi, Robb.”

Robb whirled around and the anger dissipated from his face instantly at the sound of Myrcella’s voice. “Myrcella! Hi. Uhm… how are you this… wet Sunday?”

Myrcella eyes narrowed. “Today’s Monday.”

“What? Today’s not Monday. See if it was Monday, I would have been in the library… studying. With you. Today can’t be Monday.”

Jon tapped Robb on the shoulder once again. “It’s Monday.”

Robb turn to glare at his brother with a look that screamed, ‘ _Thanks for having my back, bro!_ ’

“Thank you, Jon. It is Monday, but you know, whatever. I wasn’t waiting since 2 o’clock for you to show up or anything.”

Her nose started to wrinkle again; Robb mentally thought it was the cutest thing he had ever seen.

“Look, I’m so sorry. I lost track of time and I wanted really bad to let you know but I got caught up with practice.” Myrcella looked like she was going to seethe for a while so Jon decided to duck out before this thing blew up in Robb’s face and Jon ends up being a innocent bystander who gets hit with the blast.

“If you didn’t want to study, you could have said something earlier.” Myrcella said, she was clearly hurt but her pride didn’t allow her to actually show it.

Robb knew he probably should never made the attempt to attacked Professor Vornado but the old man was just really just a pro at pushing his buttons. If he hadn’t nearly attacked the grounds keep, he would have been able to make his appointment with Myrcella. “No, I wanted to be there but things just got really crazy on the pitch today. I’m really,  _really_  sorry. Let me make it up to you.”

Myrcella rolled her eyes. “I doubt there is anything you can do. You can hardly keep an appointment, how could I depend on you to keep a-”

“Do you trust me?” Robb asked.

Myrcella raised an eyebrow. “You think after this afternoon that I should trust you?”

“Fine, don’t trust me-”

“I don’t.”

“Do you believe in magic?”

Myrcella looked at Robb as if he had fallen off the wagon. “We go to a wizarding institute… if I don’t believe in magic, then those elves are spiking our pumpkin juice with hallucinogenic drugs.”

Robb laughed despite being in so much trouble at the moment. “No, I meant, I bet you, I can get it to stop raining.” his eyes twinkled as Myrcella looked at him skeptically. “ _And_ , I bet I can make the stars come out by this Saturday.”

Myrcella blushed at the mention of this Saturday. “Well, that’s too bad. I’m not free this Saturday.”

Robb was taken aback. “Why won’t you be free this Saturday? Aren’t you free every weekend?”

Myrcella’s nose wrinkled again. “What’s that suppose to mean?”

Robb threw up his hands defensively. “Nothing… I was just wondering what you could possibly be doing this Saturday night. Seems kinda like an arbitrary night to be busy.”

“This Saturday night is the formal.” When Robb shot her a look of confusion, Myrcella continued, “The masquerade formal… you know, the one where-”

Robb’s eyes widened. “Wait! If the formal is this Saturday, that’s means, I’m not free either!”

Myrcella tried to hide her crestfallen expression. Thankfully, Robb was too absorbed in his own worries to notice. “You’re going to the formal?”

Robb looked back at her distractedly, “Yeah, uhm… I was suppose to go with Roslin Frey.”

The young Baratheon tried not to look completely crushed instead smiled halfheartedly. “Well, I’ll see you there then. I would love to see how you can conquer the elements and get this rain to finally stop pouring down on us.”

“Yeah, sure. See you there.”

Myrcella walked away, not even hoping he would remember his promise. He had other, far more important things on his mind than the silly third year who hopelessly waited four hours for him to show up.

* * *

 The day of the big quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin came to ahead on that Friday and the rain was relentless as ever. Myrcella wanted to get a little extra writing in since the library would be practically deserted due to the match, but Sansa had dragged her out of the dusty library and towards the pitch, both bundled up in thick coats and scarves. The rain pelted down on the players and the intensity was palpable. Myrcella waved to Sansa, who made her way to the Ravenclaw side of the stands as Myrcella clobbered up the steps of the Hufflepuff side. They could have easily sat on either side, seeing as there was only one team both houses will be cheering on today… and that house was  _not S_ lytherin.

Myrcella, tucked in next to Gendry Waters, who smiled at Myrcella a made room for her by pushing his friend Hot Pie aside so that the pretty Baratheon girl could have a seat. The cheers around her was nearly deafening as the Gryffindor team took to the pitch. Red robes with stripes of gold whirled around the arena, reeving the crowd into a frenzy, drowning out the sounds of ‘ _boos_ ' coming from the Slytherins on the other side of the pitch.

The green and silver came out into the rain as Robb took his position as keeper, which made Myrcella ever so grateful seeing as she wasn’t very good at following all the players as they raced across the field at top speeds.

The second the whistle was blown, Myrcella caught sight of the quaffle going up into the air and then disappearing as greens and reds battled in the freezing rain. Within seconds, Gryffindor had scored their first goal and the cheers rang up into the sky. She was hardly paying attention though, as her eyes were locked on a little golden spec that hovered just under Robb’s broom. Within seconds of recognition, Myrcella shot up to her feet and fruitlessly shout to Robb over the screaming crowd that the snitch was right under him. Gendry got up and asked if she was okay and she whispered in his ear what she saw. Gendry squinted his eyes and before long his eyes grew to the size of saucers. He frantically began waving his arms and shouting out Robb’s name trying to get his attention.

But it was all for naught as neither Gendry nor Mrycella (nor Robb, for that matter) saw the bludger that came straight at him, slamming into his gut and causing him to fall fifty feet from the air, his body and broom dropping out of the sky like lead.

“ROBB!” Myrcella was going to run out into the pitch when Gendry grabbed her. “Are you mad? The game is still going! You’re going to get hurt if you go out there.”

“I don’t care! Let go of me!”

“No, you can’t-”

But Myrcella broke free from Gendry’s grip and fled down the winding steps of the stands. The moment she made it to the pitch though, Robb was already being placed in a stretcher and a  _whoosh_  of a stray bludger zoomed pass Myrcella’s head as an eruption of ‘ _boos_ ' filled the arena. Myrcella looked up to see that the Slytherin team was patting each other on the back and at first Myrcella was disgusted as she thought they were celebrating for knocking Robb to the ground but then she saw the glitter of gold wings in the hands of the green robed Seeker.

The crowd was in an uproar but Professor Vornado said it was completely legal and so the Slytherin team won the game despite not getting one goal into a Gryffindor hoop. She turned back to Robb hoping he was out cold so he didn’t have to watch his opponents do their victory lap around the pitch while he laid their completely helpless but it was perhaps too much to ask for since his normally crystal clear blue eyes were clouded in defeat. When he turned his head and saw her, she almost wanted to shrink away so that she wouldn’t have to look at the shame that shrouded his expression. But she couldn’t so instead, Myrcella watched dejected as Robb, physically and emotionally defeated, was taken away, the relentless cheers from Slytherin stands seem to echo louder than the pouring rain.

* * *

 The entire Gryffindor team was inside trying their best to cheer up their team captain but Myrcella waited outside the infirmary for close to two hours before she had the courage to ask Nurse Mordane if Robb was doing alright. 

“Oh, that boy is made of the ‘tough stuff’, child! Don’t fret your pretty little head over Robb Stark. I’ve known that boy to have acquire every type of injury you can imagine, and still get back on that broom of his in a snap. I could swear on Merlin’s beard that that boy cannot be killed. You’ll see, he’ll be up and about in no time. It’s not in his nature sit around defeated. You watch; this’ll just make him fight harder.”

Myrcella thought about that all the way back to the dorm rooms when she realized that her mittens were still in the Hufflepuff stands. She thought for a moment to just forget about them but then remembered that they were the ones that her Uncle Jaimie had given her as her going away gift when she was about to board the train to Hogwarts three years ago.

Gritting her teeth, she ran back into the rain, down the grounds towards the quidditch pitch, and up the hundred or so steps to the top box but found the entire stand empty. She spent nearly an hour looking for them when she finally decided that Gendry probably picked them up for her and decided to head back.

“What are you doing out here?”

Myrcella jumped at the voice from behind her. She whirled around and saw none other than Robb Stark hovering in the air.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Myrcella demanded. Robb was holding an umbrella with one hand with a big smile on his face.

“Well, my father always said the second I fall, I should always get back on the horse as soon as possible.”

“I don’t think he meant it  _literally_. You were just in the infirmary not even hours ago.”

Robb shrugged with a sheepish grin. “What can I say? Cabin fever.”

“You were only in there for 3 hours.” Myrcella pointed out.

“Like I said: cabin fever. Come on, I’ll give you a lift back to the school.”

Myrcella eyed the broom and the hundred foot drop to the very hard – albeit very wet – grass below and felt her stomach do a flip. “I’ll decline this time, Stark.”

“Look, I can’t let you walk all the way back to the school all by yourself in this rain, let me just fly us both back. Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall.”

“Uhm, no. You should keep both hands on that broomstick of yours.” Myrcella insisted as she made her way to the stairs.

“Well, the only way I can do that is if you hold my umbrella for me. Come on, Myrcella, you’re not afraid of a little flying, are you?” Robb’s face was filled with mischief Myrcella can hardly believe that less than five hours ago, he was being carted of the quidditch pitch in complete failure.

“Where do you get all that friggin optimism from? You know that you just lost a game right?”

Robb at her like he had a secret. “Yeah, but that’s the thing about loosing… it only makes you fight harder the next time you get out there. And that kind of fuel is priceless. Because now… we got something to fight for.”

Myrcella smiled and thought that that kind of bravery was ruthless; there was something admirable about that type of thinking that left her in awe of the guy in front of her.

“So how about it? Could you hold my umbrella so that I can give you a lift back?”

Myrcella swallowed thickly before she timidly nodded. “Fine. Why not? Last thing we need if for you to fall from your damn broom and find another excuse for not fulfilling your promise to me.” Robb smirked as he smoothly brought his broom to the edge of the Hufflepuff stands, the gold and black banner whipping around in the wind. Myrcella skeptically eyed the thin broom handle before shaking her head. Myrcella tried to hide the fear in her voice as she nearly puked at the idea of being so high off the ground. “Nope. I can’t do this! How can you be sure I won’t fall off the back end of that broom?”

Robb laughed. “Well, I guess you’ll just have to sit in front of me.”

Seeing the panic look in her eyes, Robb brought the broomstick up and landed in the Hufflepuff stands so that Myrcella could have stable footing. Myrcella looked at him and looked as though she might bolt any second, so Robb softly coaxed her into swinging her leg over the front of the broomstick while he handed her the umbrella. Once she lightly sat astride the handle of the broom, one hand gripping tight to the umbrella and the other on the broom, Robb kicked off the wooden plank of the stands and into the rain they flew. Myrcella yelped as the force of the speed of their take off sent her slamming into Robb’s body. His laugh rumbled deep his chest as they soared over the grounds and Myrcella’s stomach did another flip but this time it wasn’t from the fear of how high they were. Her back was pressed flush against Robb, feeling the beat of his heart beneath his thick jacket and robes. She felt her cheeks warm even with the coldness biting at her from all ends.

Finally, the ride ended far sooner than Myrcella could ever bring herself to admit.

As she felt her knees hardly holding her up, Myrcella casually leaned against the large wooden doors of the great hall before she turned back to see Robb shaking off the excess water droplets from his hair and she could hear her inner voice forcing her not to swoon.

“Well, I did make the rain stop pouring on you right?” He smile was filled with hope and, because she couldn’t help herself, Myrcella laughed. “Ha! If you think you’re going to get off that easy, you are sorely mistaken. I  _hardly_  think that an umbrella is considered magical. And besides, I don’t see any stars tonight.”

Robb smiled back, “I don’t know… I’m looking at something even prettier than the stars right now.”

Myrcella rolled her eyes, turning away from him so he can’t see her blush. “Really? You think an umbrella and a cheesy one-liner is gonna get you back into my good graces for standing me up you did? And it wasn’t like all that practice actually got you to win that game.”

Robb’s hand flew to clutch his heart. “You wound me! Oh, you play dirty, Myrcella Baratheon. You would think after you saw me get bludgered in the gut, you would be more sympathetic.”

She shrugged in response. “It’s gonna take a lot more to gain my sympathy, Mr. Stark. I’m not some floozy you can charm your way into impressing.”

Robb quirked an eyebrow before saying, “Myrcella Baratheon… do you… find me  _charming_?”

“No. And you still haven’t made it up to me yet… and while I am running out of patience,  _you_  are running out of time. No rain by tomorrow night, Stark, or no more study session. No study sessions, no passing tests. No passing tests, no more quidditch for you.” Myrcella took her leave then, making sure he heard her when she said, “And it better be a clear night, Robb! I want those stars!”

* * *

The night of the masquerade left the entire school in a buzz of excitement. Myrcella though had been fending off unwanted suitors all evening, who thought it was okay to be complete perverts just because they were wearing masks. She had looked out her window before she had left the dorms and saw the rain coming down in big fat droplets and knew that there was no way Robb would be able to get the rain to stop even if he was the most stubborn person she had ever met.

 

She had arrived in the great hall with a Hufflepuff boy name Trystane Martell and she tried to have a good time with him despite the fact that all night she was looking around for a familiar tuft of coppery auburn hair. Some time during the night, she had lost track of Trystane and had to defend herself against the onslaught of disgusting hormonal teenagers who wanted nothing more than to slobber all over her and hardly cared who she was as long as she was a pulse wearing a dress.

Finally, Myrcella was thinking about retiring to her room when it seemed as though she was never going to find Robb that night, a familiar pair of mittens came into view from over her shoulder, “Were you looking for these, my lady?”

Myrcella turned around and saw a pair of warm blue eyes shine down on her from behind a gray wolf like mask. “How did you know these were mine?”

Robb sheepishly scratched his cheek and admitted,“Well, they didn’t belong to the first 20 girls I asked so, I took a chance and ask you anyway.”

Myrcella rolled her eyes, unable to hold back her mirth, giggled uncontrollably from behind her hand. “You are hopeless, Robb Stark.”

“Don’t give up on me yet.” Robb said, his eyes twinkled as he brought out his wand. “Close you eyes.”

Myrcella narrowed her eyes skeptically at him before he said, “Please?”

When she finally complied, he came to stand behind her and whispered a spell, “ _Exhibeo deteget_ …”

After a beat, Myrcella heard gasps echo across the great hall and her heart began to race. “Okay… open your eyes.”

Myrcella’s eyes slid open to see the night sky projected across the ceiling of the Great Hall with not a single cloud in the sky. The moon was brighter than she ever imagined it could be but it was the stars that made her gasp at the sight. Thousands of stars twinkled down on her and she could almost kiss them for shining so bright that night. It was so breathtaking, Myrcella was stunned beyond measure.

“Have I been forgiven, Miss. Baratheon?” Robb asked from behind her.

Myrcella smiled up him and couldn’t find the words to describe how happy she was, so she simply nodded instead and stammered, “Don’t let it go to your head, Stark.”


	4. Once More (For Old Times' Sake)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Better late than never.

The festivities were in full swing by the time Myrcella got a chance to take a break and slipped outside of the reception hall, where the trees merged up from the hillside and the grassy yard was moist beneath her heels. The night wind bit into the thin material of her shimmering white dress, leaving goosebumps along her creamy white skin. The moon glowed down upon her, deep green eyes gazing off into the woods.

Out of the shadows, she felt his presence before she actually heard his soft footfalls. Turning around, she smiled at the scarred man, “I was beginning to worry you weren’t going to show up.”

He grunted softly, dropping the heavy bag that was slung over his shoulder unceremoniously onto the evening grass. “Train broke down at Harrenhall. Had to take a bus the rest of the way.”

Myrcella slowly nodded. “I’m glad you were able to make it. It’s been… what?… nearly 3 years since I- you’ve been back over the Wall. Your father doesn’t say it but I’m sure he was starting to worry.”

He scoffed, shaking his head, “My father knows that I can take care of myself. If you were worried about me, you should just come out and say it.”

Myrcella’s silence began to permeate the air, slowly irritating the Northerner. “So? What? Are you waiting for a blessing? You know you’re technically hurting this guy by not actually-“

"Stop it!" her voice was a harsh whisper and she nearly started to sob but was able to bite it back. "Stop. Please. I don’t want… I didn’t send you an invitation so that you can come back and argue with me-"

"Then tell me what the hell you want from me, ‘Cella? Just come out and say it. It should be easy now considering."

It should have been.

Yet life was not so kind. It made the words stuck in her throat and she could feel the tear streak down her cheek, despite all her efforts not to cry.

She looked up at the man in front of her and the tortured look on his face nearly made her break.

"Robb, I am so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you- I’m sorry that we didn’t work- I’m- Oh, for heaven sakes! I’m making a mess-"

Strong arms enveloped her body in an instance. Her eyes widened in shock. This wasn’t right. She shouldn’t be held like this, not by him anymore. She shouldn’t sink into his warmth, not today of all days. But his familiar scent, the way he use to always comb his fingers through her hair when he hugged her, the way pressed his chapped lips against her temple, had Myrcella almost wishing he would take her away with him.

"Does he love you?" came the gruff voice from above her. She could hear what he was truly asking in his tone: _“Does he love you like I did… like I do?”_

Robb and his crusades. It was one of the qualities about him that she loved but she soon realized that he had never once put her in front of his million and one causes. Finally, one day, Myrcella could take it no longer and left him.

The North was his true love, and Myrcella knew she will always be second to her; a mistress to his damn Stark honor and duties. 

Myrcella was quiet for a moment and then answered carefully, “He gives me stability.” 

She felt him nod before he pulled back. Myrcella felt herself wanting to move forward, to follow him, but she could not allow herself that indulgence anymore.

"In that case… congratulations. I wish you both all the happiness in the world."

She looked into his eyes and saw the sincerity shine down on her. Her heart cracked just a bit, as if the very foundations of her soul were being pulverized.


	5. The Flight to Aspen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Written for [gleekoutwithharmony](http://tmblr.co/m5jnTsTQ5_MxMP1pBmciAyQ) on Tumblr. She asked for a "Fake Marriage" trope. )

It was the ring that did it. Myrcella had signed the fake papers and took the fake wedding photos with their phones and none of that phased her… until he slipped the ring on her finger.

She was the target of an international tycoon who wanted her and her siblings as “collateral” in retribution against Robert Baratheon’s latest business take over… and the Targaryens didn’t play nice. So Myrcella didn’t really have the luxury of contemplate whether what she was doing was going to be awkward or not.

Everything was a blur anyway. Robb was taking care of everything and now they were on their way to The Stark’s summer home (which doubled as a safe house). And all of it felt so surreal, as if everything wasn’t actually happening to Myrcella but instead she was simply watching it happen to someone else in her body. But now, when he leaned in close, she could smell his aftershave and feel the heat of his body against her arm when he reached over for her left hand.

His fingers were callous but gentle as he discreetly slipped the simple band onto her finger as they waited in the uncomfortable seats to be boarded. They were headed for their “honeymoon” in Aspen and Myrcella shyly looked up at the man in front of her only to find river blue eyes staring back. She laughs nervously as she looked down at the white gold band infused with a pearl-like marble flanking on both sides of the diamond solitaire center. It was simple, pretty even, and Myrcella bemusedly wondered if he actually picked it out for her.

“Well, _husband_ , I guess this is it.” Myrcella sighed licking her lips, “ ‘Man and wife’…"

Robb’s face did not change from his pensive look but he did nod. “Yes, it is.”

“You may kiss the bride,” Myrcella whispered jokingly, not meeting his gaze.

The Stark – _well, she supposes that would be referring to her as well now_ – slowly raised an eyebrow, his eyes nearly playful in nature if the ghost of a smirk was any indication, “Are you offering or are we still just going through the motions?”

She looked up to see if he was serious and when it was apparent that he was, she felt her heart sped up. “Only if you want to. I don’t ever want you to do anything you don’t _want_ to do…” Myrcella murmured playing with her new ring anxiously.

Instead of replying, Robb reached over and cradled the side of her head before he leaned forward. Myrcella’s gaze dropped to his lips as the distance between them reduced to a hair’s breath. Closing her eyes, she waited for the inevitable contact but when it did not come, she cracked a single eye open to see staring at her intently.

“We have one chance to make this look as real as possible. If someone’s watching, then we have to sell the bit to them.” His voice was a little too husky to be professional, as his hot breath fanned across her skin, delightfully warming her in a way she did not think was possible.

“I know,” she reassured him.

“It _must_ to be convincing-”

Myrcella huffed a sigh of irritation, “Just kiss me already, Ro-”

His name was cut off by his lips which slid over hers, immediately evaporating all the air from her lungs, making it hard to breathe.

It started slow, just two lips exploring the others’ softness. But when a soft mewing sound crawled from her throat, Robb’s kiss became more needy, swiping his tongue into her mouth to taste her. Myrcella sank her finger’s into his dark copper curls and obliged him entrance, shifting closer to him, craving his warmth.

His thumb rubbed soothing circles against her cheek as he pulled back and took a shaky breath. Resting her forehead against his, she hazily watch a content smile stretched across his face as she nudged his nose with hers, releasing a breathy giggle when he moved forward to nip small kisses from her lips, as if he couldn’t get enough of her taste.

The announcement of their flight number had them finally pulling away from each other to gather up their items but the moment Myrcella rose from the seat, Robb’s hand was waiting to take hers. To his surprise, she scoffed at his hand before wrapping one arm across his lower back pressing the side of her body against his. Following her cue, he tucked her into his side and swung his arm around her shoulder.

They walked down the long tubed path into aircraft when Myrcella ventured to ask, “You think they bought it?” Resisting the urge to look back to see if anyone had been watching them.

Robb hissed dramatically before leaning down and murmuring into her ear, “We don’t know whose watching, so it’s best to keep the act up,” she couldn’t help but blush when kissed her temple in front of the stewardess. “You know… just in case.”

Myrcella grinned at him slyly as he leaned down to capture her lips once more, “Right… just in case.”


End file.
